Here is something I just thought of. When Yoda tells Luke in Empire Strikes Back that size matters not when using the force then how is it that Force users aren't able to lift larger objects. For instance in LOTF Invincible at the end of the book Luke lifts this HUGE hanger door that is supposed to be about the size of a mountain. Is this because his understanding of the Force is greater then anyone else?s or because others still haven?t over come the idea of lifting something so big is possible?

Here is something I just thought of. When Yoda tells Luke in Empire Strikes Back that size matters not when using the force then how is it that Force users aren't able to lift larger objects. For instance in LOTF Invincible at the end of the book Luke lifts this HUGE hanger door that is supposed to be about the size of a mountain. Is this because his understanding of the Force is greater then anyone else?s or because others still haven?t over come the idea of lifting something so big is possible?

I think the issue is concentration. Abilities in the Force are partially limited by your own mind. I don't completely understand it, but I've come to the conclusion that the Force is like a Green Lantern ring; it depends on willpower and concentration. The mind is a muscle, and like any muscle it requires practice to get stronger. A freshly-trained Jedi will not have the ability to focus his concentration to the degree a Jedi Master does. Recall Luke on Dagobah, attempting to lift the x-wing. Flash forward to Invincible, and you have him tossing a huge hangar door. He was always that powerful, but just needed the mental fortitude to focus that power.

Here is something I just thought of. When Yoda tells Luke in Empire Strikes Back that size matters not when using the force then how is it that Force users aren't able to lift larger objects. For instance in LOTF Invincible at the end of the book Luke lifts this HUGE hanger door that is supposed to be about the size of a mountain. Is this because his understanding of the Force is greater then anyone else?s or because others still haven?t over come the idea of lifting something so big is possible?

I think the issue is concentration. Abilities in the Force are partially limited by your own mind. I don't completely understand it, but I've come to the conclusion that the Force is like a Green Lantern ring; it depends on willpower and concentration. The mind is a muscle, and like any muscle it requires practice to get stronger. A freshly-trained Jedi will not have the ability to focus his concentration to the degree a Jedi Master does. Recall Luke on Dagobah, attempting to lift the x-wing. Flash forward to Invincible, and you have him tossing a huge hangar door. He was always that powerful, but just needed the mental fortitude to focus that power.

I always thought it was faith based mostly. If you believe you can, you can. If you doubt, you fail. Yoda obviously believed Luke could succeed even though his training was still just beginning or at least that's how I always took it.

I think the point Yoda was making was not so much about "capability" but about world view.

Luke had evaluated the situation as hopeless. it goes right back to "there is no try"...it was a type a resignation, a lack of confidence in the force and yourself.

Remember Yoda's eyes...he was SUPER impressed Luke was moving the X-wing in his first attempt...I suspect if he had gotten it half way out and asked for help, Yoda would've done so and been super proud of his student. Instead, Luke gives up after showing such promise.

There are things that take time to achieve, even in the force...mostly dealing with how well attuned you are to it then the force itself. But to simply resign to the impossible, that is what Yoda's lesson was warning against...don't let the size of mountain size door resign you to failure...yes, maybe you will fail to lift it...but perhaps another solution will come through the force.

I understand all of that. What I was trying to say is why aren't there more Force users that can lift that same door instead of just one (being Luke)? I was asking if you thought that once you get to a certain size is it more about your power in the force or the ability of your mind?

My opinion is that differences in "Force power" amount to differences in one's ability to visualize and mentally escape the framework of one's body. Note that the "Force potential" described by one's midi-chlorian count refers to how closely and strongly one can *communicate* with the Force -- how sensitive you are to the "voice of the Force within you" -- and has nothing to do, really, with a total measure of energy or fuel or anything like that.